Culinary School Lesson 10 - 11

Oh, potato day at culinary school, if I see one more potato I will weep. We made potato puree, potato gratin, potato puffs, potato croquettes, potato fries, potato chips and potato baskets. As an extra treat, Chef made us some fried potato skins smothered in cheese. Chef says he likes to put a fat slice of potato gratin on his burgers. I said, “Chef, that’s double carb!” and he said “Dora, live a little!”.

Tonight for dinner, I had potatoes 4 ways with leftover split pea soup from soup day and a poached egg. I’m dreaming of a bowl of greens after that starch fest. Tomorrow we begin one of three classes where we’ll be elbow deep in fish guts. Yes, it’s time to fillet some fish and torture some lobsters. I’m actually excited for the challenge. I’m a little less excited to try the escargot we’ll be preparing.

Stepping up dinner thanks to culinary school: Duck Confit and Asparagus Farro Risotto with Lemon Zest

I’ll let you in on a little secret…I actually have a strange food phobia. I’m scared to try new foods because I worry I’ll be allergic to them, that I’ll go into anaphylactic shock and die. I also fear most fish and shellfish because my mom and boyfriend both developed allergies to fish in adulthood. I’m not allergic to anything (yet) to my knowledge, so it’s definitely an irrational fear, but it’s held me back from trying many different foods, like fiddlehead ferns, nettles, oysters, okra, and lychee, to name just a few out of thousands. So, culinary school serves a few purposes, one of them being exposure therapy for my foodie fears. Thank goodness I’m not allergic to potatoes.

Practicing my hollandaise sauce for Eggs Florentine last Sunday